Love is not a poker game
by High Horse
Summary: A surprise injury during Nick's kidnapping case provides a new opportunity for Sara and Grissom. Takes place after Nick's abduction and ends in the first or second episode of Season 6. My take on how they became a couple. Rating changed to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**Love is not Poker Game**

**Summary:**A surprise injury during Nick's kidnapping case provides a new opportunity.

**Rating:**T= PG 13

**Spoilers:**Anything aired through Season 6 is fair game.

**A/N:**I am stuck in seasons 5 and 6 right now. GSR with a touch of Brass.

**Disclaimer:**CBS holds the power and the rights. No harm is intended.

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CHAPTER ONE:

Grissom watched, as the ambulance carried Nick off to the hospital. He was alive, thanks to the efforts of his team. Well, what should have been his team. Now, Warrick and Catherine were riding with Nick and the rest were left to watch. Sara and Greg headed back to the Denali to get their kits. They had a few more hours of shift left and there was work to do.

Grissom told Conrad that he wanted his team back. His whole team. Conrad agreed. Both men looked over and saw the team back at work. Brass had been standing next to Grissom the entire time. He spoke up and said that he would have his men watch the scene until the day shift CSIs arrived. Conrad reminded Grissom that he and the group were off the next day and that he would make some shift changes in the next several weeks. With that, Conrad headed for his next press briefing. He would get an update on Nick while he was en-route to the lab.

Greg re-shot a series of location photos while Sara took the close-ups. They loaded the small evidence into bindles and bags as they combed the scene by the hole where Nick had been buried. Each were lost with their thoughts of Nick and the fact that any one of them could have been the victim in this case. Brass moved out of their way in order to make a few calls to set up police protection of the site and shift coverage. He was just as tired as the CSI team. He would also lead the investigation into how a CSI could be left so unguarded.

The team had been working their way through the crime scene for over two hours when Brass heard a yelp. Sara heard it too and both took off at a run toward the sound. They found Grissom face down in the wet, composted soil. He had been doing a wide perimeter search aided only by his Surefire flashlight. He had tripped on a fresh air pipe that had been sticking up out of the dirt and then injured his ankle as he fell. He was in pain, but his embarrassment level was high as well.

"Can you stand up if we help you?" asked Brass.

"I think so," Grissom replied.

With their help, he made it to his feet just as Greg rounded the corner. Sara directed him to pull one of the Denalis closer and to get an ice pack, ace bandage, and blanket from the back of the rig. She told him to open the back door and fold the passenger seat forward. Sara and Brass eased Grissom into the back seat and he was able to prop the injured ankle on the front, folded seat. Sara quickly broke the ice pack causing it to react and freeze. She placed it over his ankle and used the bandage to hold it in place. Greg padded the area around Grissom's ankle with the blanket to prevent any added jostling from the dirt road.

"Load the other Denali with the evidence and get it back to the lab, directed Sara, then bring the truck over to the hospital so that Warrick and Catherine have a ride home. I will head straight to the hospital with Grissom. Call me if you need anything."

Sara buckled the now protesting Grissom into the seat and Brass closed the door. She hopped into the driver's seat and took off carefully down the dirt road. Greg and Brass finished policing the scene to ensure all the smaller evidence was accounted for. The day shift CSI's would bring a van with them to haul away the rest of the evidence. Within fifteen minutes, Brass and Greg were bound for the lab, with four officers left to guard the crime scene.

Grissom had stopped protesting as the pain in his ankle and the throbbing from his ribs commanded his attention. Sara had to call out to see if he was still OK and all she heard in response was a mumble. Sara dared not talk to Grissom right now. Her mind was racing as her body tried to keep a steady hand on the wheel. It was just an ankle sprain, he would be fine.....what if it was worse? What if he was still suffering from injuries when the kidnapper blew himself up? It was more than Sara's sleep deprived mind could handle. Once the truck hit the blacktop, she hit the siren and lights and stepped on the gas.

"Sara, is the siren really necessary?" Grissom asked with a soft voice . His migraine was starting and the added noise was just too much. He gathered all his energy and shouted to Sara once more, "SARA, please turn off the siren."

Sara calmed down and turned off the siren and lights. She was still doing 80 mph, but the hospital was just ten miles ahead. Both of them could relax just a bit. Once she arrived at the hospital, she pulled up in the ambulance bay and called out for a nurse. She helped Grissom slide out of the truck and into a waiting chair. He gave her a look, but the concern on her face told him to just get in the chair. She thanked the nurse and told her that she would be in as soon as she parked the truck.

As Sara climbed into the truck, she caught a parting glance at Grissom being wheeled in to the emergency section of the hospital. By the time she returned, he was already being examined in a treatment room which was off limits to her.

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	2. Chapter 2: Nick is OK

**CHAPTER TWO: NICK IS OK**

Brass found Sara at the end of the hospital hallway, her arms wrapped tightly around her. She had been on shift for over 24 hours, along with the rest team. She was sobbing quietly.

"He'll be OK, Sara," comforted Brass

Sara replied, "I know. I just left Nicky's room and he was already sitting up."

"I am not talking about Nick," he replied.

Brass was not a man of many words and so with that comment, he stopped talking, and wrapped his coat around Sara. He stood close to her. He listened as her breathing slowed and offered her a napkin he had shoved in his pocket after he grabbed breakfast at a drive-through. She wiped her tears and looked him in the eye. Neither showed their true thoughts. They hid behind the poker faces that their jobs demanded. And Brass let Sara off the hook.

Grissom had come around the corner from Nick's room at the wrong time. He quietly watched the exchange between the detective and his CSI. His CSI? Who was he kidding? Grissom had no claim on Sara. Despite the increased friendship they had shared during the past several months, and that kiss in the dark, Grissom had not expressed his true feelings to Sara. He hid behind his poker face too.

"Are you cleared to leave, Gris?" asked Sara.

"I just need to pick up my prescriptions downstairs," he replied.

Sara handed the coat back to Brass as they walked down the hall. The ride in the elevator was silent, except for the clanking elevator mechanism. Grissom was leaning heavily on the single crutch, his ankle taped and in a walking boot for support. His ribs had been wrapped to protect them from further injury. His head was still throbbing and he had some ringing in his ears. Most of the damage had been caused by the force of the explosion. It had been a rough triple shift and he did not want the complications of love or jealousy in the middle. But this was real life.

When they reached the first floor, Brass and Grissom headed for the pharmacy. Sara headed the opposite direction, calling out that she would bring the Denali around to the front. Greg caught up with Sara in the parking lot. He had been up with Nick as well and had given his keys to Warrick.

Greg asked, "Can I still get a ride back, Sara?"

"Sure. I was just pulling the rig around to the front so that Grissom would not have to hoof it all the way out here," she replied quietly.

Brass stood silently while Grissom handed over his paperwork then he took advantage of his time alone with Gil to remind him that he should not go home alone tonight. The doctor had made it clear to both of them that the combination of the sprained ankle, bruised ribs, slight concussion, and prescribed medications would take their toll.

"Are you sure that you don't need my help? Maybe you should ask Sara or Greg."

The look that Grissom shot at his friend was enough to stop the conversation dead in its tracks. Brass knew his friend was stubborn. So he told Grissom he was going to check on the car and headed to the front doors of Desert Palms Hospital. He found Sara waiting in the driver's seat and asked Greg to go help Grissom. Brass informed Sara that the doctor did not want Grissom to drive or be alone during the next 24 hours.

"We both know how stubborn he is, but maybe he will let someone help him once he gets back to the lab," said Brass.

Of course, Greg and Grissom saw the interaction between the detective and the CSI. They did not hear the words, but both got the meaning. It certainly appeared that Brass and Sara were more than old friends.

The ride to the lab was quiet. Once there, all three headed in to their respective spaces. Greg was finally off the clock and just stopped at his locker to put up his vest and gear. Grissom retreated to his dark office. Sara headed for the phone in the layout room so she could give Doc Robbins an update on Nicky's condition. She waited until she saw Greg leave and then headed for her locker. Sara always kept a bag packed in her car and another set of clothes in her locker. She dropped off her gear and retrieved all her spare laundry. She stuffed her backpack full of clothes and took a last look in her tiny mirror. She was tired, her face was dirty, and she smelled like the dank soil that had surrounded the scene. No one, not even Grissom, could find her attractive in her current state.

She had nothing to lose.

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	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE: THE DRIVE**

Grissom was alone at his desk and lost in thought. He knew that he would need some help for the next few days. His doctor had made it clear that he was to be off work for at least a week. Furthermore, he couldn't drive with the medications he was prescribed. He had thought to ask Sara to help him, but seeing Jim comforting her at the hospital was more than he could take in his current state. He would call a cab and take it from there.

Sara knocked softly at Grissom's office door. She could see he was on the phone. He motioned her in and hung up the phone. She looked beat. The mud and dirt from the crime scene clung to her clothes and hair. For some reason, her backpack looked like it contained the entire contents of her locker.

"I am heading out and I was hoping that you would let me drive you home," she said.

"I was just calling the cab company," he replied.

"It is really no problem, Grissom. It is only a ten minute detour for me. Please, humor me."

With that said, Grissom finished clearing off his desk and loading his briefcase with work. Sara grabbed his jacket and crutch and handed them to him in exchange for his briefcase. They headed slowly out to Sara's car and she got Grissom seated before placing all their gear in the back. Sara sat down in the driver's seat and reached across Grissom to help him with his seat belt. She accidently brushed his sore ribs eliciting a painful sound from Grissom.

"Sorry Gris....I had no idea you hurt your chest," Sara said.

"I bruised several ribs during the explosion," he said.

Sara closed her door gently and began a silent argument with herself. What else was wrong and why did she always bring more pain? She glanced over at Grissom and then headed her car in the general direction of Grissom's townhouse. The ride would take about twenty minutes.

Sara's mind raced as she drove slowly. Her passenger did not need any more bumps or bruises tonight. Sara toyed with the thought of asking Grissom if she could spend the night. She could say she was afraid to go home alone or that she could really use a bite to eat. Anything to get him to let her in. They were halfway to his townhouse when Sara finally asked Grissom if he needed anything else tonight. He responded by telling her that she was free to go see Brass as soon as she dropped him off at home. He did not need anything.

"What?", she demanded. At that point, Sara's anger took over. She was near a sports park and so she pulled in to the parking lot and stopped her car under a light. She threw it in park, killed the engine and looked over at Grissom. "What did you just tell me?"

Grissom panicked. He had been thinking about Jim and Sara, but he did not mean to verbally say anything. Now he was cornered and seat belted with no quick escape. He took a breath, but he was at a loss for words.

Sara grabbed the keys and stormed out into the parking lot. She paced back and forth like a caged tiger as her anger poured out. Finally, she retreated back into the car. She wrapped her arms around her body. The anger in Sara gave way to tears. She was so frustrated that she just began to sob. She didn't care if Grissom was sitting right there. Her face became a muddy mess and she pushed Grissom's arm away when he tried to place her hair behind her ear.

Grissom sat silently in the passenger's seat. He had done it again. At a time when he needed Sara more than anyone else, he had managed to push her farther away. A few long minutes later, Sara stopped crying. She wiped her face with her jacket sleeve and looked over at Grissom.

"Please let me explain," he begged.

"I saw you and Jim in the corridor of the hospital. Sara, despite the last few months of friendship we shared, I honestly thought you were seeing Jim. I know he was just as concerned as I was after the incident at the mental hospital. I have no right to take up your time."

Sara was tired. She was tired of the games and tired from the long, long day. It was almost 2 am and she just needed a shower and some sleep. She did not need or want any more drama. Most of all, she wanted to be with Grissom. Yet, he clearly mistook the signs and had jumped to the wrong conclusion, again.

"Brass and I are very good friends and he was just trying to comfort me," she said. "He is the one who told me to take you home and stay with YOU, if you would let me. I am not in love with Jim. I can drive you home and help you get your ankle iced and then re-wrapped. I can make you something to eat, so you can take your meds. I can stay with you so you are not alone. But if you turn me away, then know that I am going to my home, alone. I am not heading off to be with Jim or Greg or anyone else. You have always been the one that I wanted to be with and I was hoping you would let me help you now, like you have helped me in the past."

Grissom reached over and was successful in cupping his hand under Sara's chin. "Honey, I am so sorry that I jumped to the wrong conclusions," he said. "Please come home with me."

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	4. Chapter 4: Home

**A/N: To my readers and reviewers---many thanks. I am all about the angst, so it will continue. There is no Beta reader, so all mistakes are mine. **

**CHAPTER FOUR: HOME**

The twenty minute ride had stretched to forty and Grissom and Sara finally made it to his front door. She brought in her backpack and his briefcase and locked the door behind her. Grissom collapsed on his couch. Sara sat down on the couch and faced Grissom.

"Can you tell me what the doctor said about your injuries and aftercare?" asked Sara.

"I have a mild concussion, a badly sprained ankle and three bruised ribs," he replied. "If I follow all the doctor's instructions and get lots of rest, I should be able to go back to work next week. I will still be on limited duty for another week after that." The medications and aftercare instructions were in his briefcase. Grissom pointed to it and told Sara she could review them.

"I am just asking so I know what care you need. I am pretty good at taping ankles".

Grissom explained that with his head injury, she really did not need to keep him awake. He just needed to elevate and ice his ankle and take his first dose of medicine. The doses were to be repeated every six hours. He really wanted a hot shower too. His ribs were wrapped in waterproof tape that did not come off until his recheck at the hospital on Saturday.

Grissom said, "There are clean towels in the guest bedroom right over there." He added that the sheets were clean and that Sara was welcome to take a shower while he iced his ankle.

Sara grabbed two bags of frozen peas from his kitchen freezer, elevated his ankle with a cushion from the couch, and carefully surrounded his ankle with the peas. Then, she took off for the guest room. It was surreal. Sara was thinking what it would be like to have free access to Grissom's private world. Grissom was keeping his mind off his aches by thinking of a naked Sara in his shower. She appeared about twenty minutes later wearing a pair of blue LVPD sweat pants and a grey camisole top. She had already dried her hair and applied a bit of moisturizer to her face.

"Feel better?" he asked.

"I feel cleaner," Sara replied.

Sara removed the frozen pea ice packs and placed them back in the freezer. She read through the aftercare instructions and checked the medicines. He would be taking a pretty powerful muscle relaxer as well as a pain killer and anti-inflammatory drug.

"You should probably shower before your take these meds and then we can ice and re-wrap your ankle afterwards," she replied. Sara carefully unwrapped his ankle bandage and helped Grissom up from the couch. They hobbled down a short hall and into his master bedroom. She began to help him undress. Once his shoes, socks, shirt and t-shirt were off, Grissom stopped her gently with his hand.

"I think I can take it from here," he said shyly. He looked up at her and explained that he would not have too much trouble stepping in and out of his shower stall. "The doctor gave me two clean ankle bandages and they are in the briefcase too. If you get them for me, I will give you a call when I am both clean and decent."

Sara left the bedroom and got a couple of bottles of water from the fridge. She downed one and re-read the aftercare instructions. She set her cell phone alarm to go off in six hours and placed it on the night stand in the guest bedroom. She turned down her sheets and got out her spare toothbrush. Just for fun, she looked in the medicine cabinet. Nothing incriminating, except five brand new toothbrushes and six trial sizes of toothpaste. Grissom also had raided the hotels were he stayed for other assorted toiletries. When Sara heard the shower go off, she quickly brushed her teeth, with her own toothbrush, and returned to the kitchen. She had the ace bandage, frozen peas, water, and pill bottles ready when Grissom called her back into his room.

"Feel better?" she asked.

Grissom shook his head to indicate "no". He was sitting up in bed wearing only a pair of grey shorts, made of sweat pant material. He had a dry towel around his shoulders. His hair was wet and tousled. The tape around his ribs covered most of his chest. He could no longer fend off the pain.

Sara immediately went to work. She propped his ankle up using two pillows. She placed the peas back around his ankle and handed him the three pills he needed to start his regimen. He chased them with most of the bottled water and then placed the bottle on his night stand. She took the towel from around Grissom's neck and slowly began to dry his hair and beard. When he reached for her hand, Sara thought he was going to stop her. Instead, he looked into her eyes and thanked her for being there for him.

When Sara was done, she pulled a straight backed chair over the the edge of the bed and sat down. She needed to let the ice work for about ten more minutes before she could wrap his ankle. Sara explained that she set her alarm so that he could take his next set of pills on time. She would come in and wake him up when it was time.

They talked for a few more minutes and then Sara removed what was left of the frozen peas and headed to the kitchen. The ace bandage had been sitting on the night stand. Sara reached out for it and found Grissom pulling her into his embrace. Sara had tried to keep her raw emotions under control by keeping busy. Only now, did she realize that her heart was pounding and her hands were shaking. She reached out to catch herself so she did not crash into Grissom's sore ribs. He looked into her eyes and she bent down and tenderly kissed his lips. Seconds passed as they kissed and clung to each other. It was not a slobbery, open mouthed affair.....just tenderness and caring and exhaustion. The drugs racing through Grissom's body were dulling his senses and also keeping him from becoming aroused. He was lying there practically naked, with the woman of his dreams within reach, and yet her sweet kisses were all that he could handle. Sara broke the latest kiss and pushed away just a little bit. Her face was flushed and he could feel her trembling.

"I thought I had lost you," she said.

"No, Sara, I just needed to grow up and realize what had been missing in my life," he replied. "I was so scared to reach out for help tonight and yet I am so glad you are here. How long can you stay?"

Sara answered the question with one last kiss and then picked up the ace bandage and began to wrap Grissom's injured ankle. The drugs had taken the edge off of Grissom's pain and he closed his eyes while Sara worked her magic. Once done, she removed the pillows and tucked Grissom into bed.

"I will see you in six hours," she said as she turned off the lights and headed for the guest room. He was already fast asleep.

Sara fell into the cool crisp sheets and took several deep breaths to calm herself down. She was dead tired and used it as the excuse as to why she kissed Grissom. It was early Wednesday morning and she did not have to report to work until Thursday night. She took one more look around the room to get her bearings and then fell asleep. In her dreams, she imagined several inventive ways to wake Grissom up.

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	5. Chapter 5: Healing

**CHAPTER FIVE: HEALING**

The buzzing sound was incessant. Where was it coming from? Where was she? What time was it? Suddenly wide awake, Sara realized she was at Grissom's townhouse and that she needed to wake him up. She padded to the kitchen and grabbed a couple bottles of water. She realized that she had not brushed her teeth, so she headed back to the guest room. It was a little after 9 am on Wednesday morning.

Her dreams flooded back as she walked to Grissom's room. She called out to him, but only got snoring in response. She turned on the light in his bathroom and soft, ambient light flooded the bedroom. She gathered the three pills that he needed to take and gently shook his shoulder. Her touch caused Grissom to wake suddenly. As he sat up, the pain rippled through his body and down to his ankle.

"Easy, Gris," she said. "You are still recovering".

"How long have I been out?" he asked.

"I am sorry to wake you, but it appears your pain killers have worn off. It has been six hours."

Grissom swallowed the pills and then Sara helped him out of bed. As he hobbled to the bathroom, she went to get the frozen peas to ice his ankle. Both of them were still very sleepy and this was the regular time of day that they got ready to go to bed after shift. Sara hoped that she could have the whole day off and not get called in tonight. She was still tired and she wanted to visit Nick at the hospital too.

"Do you feel like sleeping some more or are you hungry," she asked.

"I probably need more sleep," he replied.

Sara adjusted the pillows under his ankle, unwrapped the ace bandage, and placed the ice packs on Grissom's ankle. She headed off to the guest bedroom to get her cell phone so she could reset the alarm for six more hours. Grissom was slouched on the bed in a light slumber. Sara had about 20 minutes to busy herself while Grissom iced his ankle. She milled around his kitchen and found that he had a huge amount of fresh foods and juice. She explored his cupboards and located a glass. The juice tasted cool and refreshing. Sara returned to the guest bedroom to use the bathroom and she also washed her face, brushed her teeth again, and put on a clean tank top. By the time 20 minutes had passed, she was a bit more awake.

Sara took the frozen peas back to the kitchen and then sat down on the bed and placed Grissom's ankle in her lap. It was easier to wrap this way. A few minutes later, she was done. Sara nudged Grissom so he could slide back down into bed. He did as directed. She turned out the light, just as Grissom called out to her.

"Sara....please come to bed."

Sara was a bit unsure what Grissom meant. She turned the light back on and walked over to the side of the bed. Grissom reached for her arm and then he used his other arm to fling back the covers on the other side of his bed.

"Please," he whispered.

Sara just wanted to be next to him and now, he was asking her to do just that. She had only regretted kissing him, because she was supposed to be at his house helping him. She did not mean to add any sense of relationship or sexual tension to their time together. And yet, it was what she wanted most of all. Sara circled the bed and turned off the bathroom light on her way. She carefully climbed in to the king size bed so as not to jostle Grissom. She realized her cell phone was still in the pocket of her sweats, so it took another moment before she finally stopped moving around.

Grissom reached out to her. "Sara, come closer, I need to feel you next to me," he whispered.

As Sara rolled over, she came face to face with Grissom. This time, he took the lead and gently kissed her neck and then her lips. She realized that he was a bit hazy from the drug cocktail, but she readily kissed him back.

"We really need more sleep," she whispered.

Grissom had to lay flat on his back in order to be comfortable. Sara did not want to injure him further, so she rolled on her side and spooned next to Grissom.

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Something was ringing. Sara woke up and looked for her cell phone, but it wasn't the offending object. Grissom reached out for his cell phone and answered it in a haze.

"Hey Jim," he said. "no, I was asleep. No, I am fine. The meds knocked me out pretty good and so I just slept. No, you don't need to drop by. I have plenty of groceries and all I do is ice my ankle and sleep." Okay Jim, see you tomorrow." As Grissom ended the conversation with Brass, he rolled over to face Sara.

"Jim wants to have dinner with me tomorrow around 8 p.m." he said. "He was pretty insistent."

"That would be great," she said. "I have to work tomorrow, so I will at least know you are being well fed. Plus, I have time to make sure that I don't leave any incriminating evidence in your townhouse to alert Brass."

Grissom just laughed. It hurt to laugh, but he laughed anyway. Sara's cell phone alarm began to beep, signaling that six hours was up and Grissom needed another dose of medication. She slowly untangled her body from Grissom's side. Since he still had enough water and pills at his night stand, Sara just walked around the bed and dished them out. Before she could unwrap his ankle, Grissom attempted to get up. Sara was quick to grab his arm and help him up and then she left him on his own while she went to the kitchen for the frozen bags of peas and some juice for each of them. Grissom appeared in the living room wearing clean sweat pants and a "Got Bugs?" T shirt that he picked up at a convention.

He made his way to the couch. Sara brought the juice over to the coffee table and then helped prop up his injured ankle on the table as well. Sara carefully slid the leg of his sweat pants up away from his swollen ankle and unwrapped the ace bandage. The icing process began and Sara sat down carefully next to Grissom.

"I am so glad to have you here with me," he said.

"Thanks for letting me invade your space," she replied. "I am going to make us some dinner and see if we can keep you awake for a little while before you head back to sleep."

The twenty minutes of icing was done, so Sara picked up the now semi-frozen peas and went over to the kitchen to make dinner. Despite all the teasing she took from the team, Sara could cook the basics. She whipped up a green salad and meatless spaghetti sauce and then fixed some ziti. She assembled the ziti and sauce along with some parmesan and ricotta cheeses and set it in the oven to bake for about thirty minutes. Sara returned to the couch and molded herself in to Grissom's side. She told him that she wanted to go see Nick and that she also needed to drop by her house.

"You are coming back tonight, aren't you?" Grissom asked.

Sara's kiss was her response. They relaxed on the couch until they smelled the pasta dish in the oven and then it was off to eat. Sara took a shower after dinner and found her last clean, set of clothes in her backpack. When she came out of the guest bedroom, Grissom was dozing on the couch watching television. She began wrapping his ankle and he slowly woke up.

"Are you leaving already?" he asked.

"I will be gone for a couple of hours," Sara replied. "but I will be back in time for you to take your medicine."

"I will wait to get cleaned up until you come back," Grissom responded. He did not want to fall down in the shower and he also knew that Sara needed to get back on to her graveyard schedule, so she needed to stay up later.

She helped him back to bed and reset her cell phone alarm. Sara had already packed her backpack and taken note of the groceries that they might want.

Grissom handed her an extra set of keys from his night stand. This silver key will get you in the front door when you come back. Leave some lights on too. Sara made sure that Grissom's cell phone was in reach. Her plan was to go home first and then drop by and see Nick once visiting hours started.

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	6. Chapter 6: Boys will be boys

**CHAPTER 6: BOYS WILL BE BOYS**

**A/N: **To Mossley and Lasrevinu for their stories. I am re-reading them for inspiration.

Reviews are positively addicting. To Edge 15684---thanks for keeping Sara real.

* * *

Sara sped across town to her apartment. She was making a mental list of the clothes that she needed to pack, and the stops she had to make, prior to returning to Grissom. Sara noticed six messages on her answering machine as she dropped her backpack in the kitchen. Three were from Greg who wanted to check in with her and maybe catch a movie. The other calls were solicitors. She grabbed a soda and called Greg.

"Hey Greggo, what is going on?" she asked.

"I was wondering what you were up to? I wanted to see if you were going to visit Nick today," he replied.

"I turned off my phone while I caught up on my sleep, but I was going to head to the hospital in about an hour. I can meet you there at 6:30 if you want," said Sara.

They agreed to meet at the gift shop and Sara hung up. She pulled three outfits from her closet and dresser and threw in some feminine clothes to sleep in. She changed into some black jeans and a green top. She took a deep breath and sat down at her breakfast bar. She would have to keep her clothes hidden instead of using her suitcase. She wanted to pick up a few groceries and a pizza on her way back to Grissom's townhouse. She also wanted to take Nick a couple of magazines and some chilled Barq's root beer. She realized that she better check her mail and started downstairs. Her phone started beeping and the caller ID flashed "Grissom".

"Hey Grissom, are you okay?".

"Yes, I probably shouldn't have bothered you, but I was wondering if you could pick up a refill of my migraine medicine."

"Sure, is it at the Rite Aid near your house?"

"Yes," replied Grissom. "I called it in last week, so it will be ready. I couldn't sleep, so I am just reading in bed. I may ice my ankle some more as long as I am awake. I miss having you here."

"Grissom, I have only been gone an hour," joked Sara. I am meeting Greg at the hospital, and then I will run your errand."

Sara retrieved her mail, including her latest forensics journals and ran back up to her apartment. She was going to have to hurry to meet Greg on time. She watered her plant, grabbed her stuffed backpack and jacket, took one last look around, and hit the lights on her way out the door. Sara had a few spare minutes to stop at Walgreen's and get Nick his supplies. She made it to the hospital with five minutes to spare. Sara was usually early everywhere she went, so she cut it close this time. Greg waved from the other side of the parking lot. He was carrying a big vase of flowers.

Nick was sitting up in his bed in a private room on the fourth floor. His parents had arranged for the private room and had left an hour earlier. He had lots of bites from the fire ants that still caused swollen red marks everywhere his skin was visible. Warrick was slouched in the chair in the corner looking worse than Nick. He had never left his buddy's side.

"Greggo! Nice flowers," Nick teased.

"Nothing but the best for you," Greg responded. "Sara brought the contraband supplies."

Sara had stopped short of Nick to prod Warrick. She woke him from his daze and looked at him questioningly. Nick spoke up and told them that he never left. Sara grabbed Warrick by the collar and pulled him to his feet. She handed the gift bag filled with cold Barq's, Snickers, and magazines to Nick and told Nick and Greg that they would be back shortly. She led Warrick down the hall to one of the visitor lounges.

"Three questions, Warrick. 1. What do the doctor's say about Nicky's condition? 2. When did you eat last? 3. Why didn't you go home and at least take a shower?"

Warrick was muttering how "life was too short". He looked Sara in the eye and said, "It could have been me."

Warrick explained that Nick was recovering well and that he had a urinary infection along with inflammation from all the fire ant bites. They were treating him with IV medication, since he had also been dehydrated. He would be out of the hospital by Saturday and would be back at work in a week or two after that. The nurses had brought Warrick a tray of food each time they fed Nick. Warrick had given the keys to the Denali to Catherine. Later, he realized that his car and his wallet were at the lab, so he just stayed at the hospital. For the first time that she could remember, Warrick truly looked lost. She bought him a soda and told him that she would take him to get his car when their visit was over. He nodded and followed her back to Nicky's room.

The four CSI's joked and talked for over two hours. Greg was telling the story about how he and Sara got naked in order to be decontaminated at a crime scene. Sara was defending herself by telling the guys that she couldn't take her eyes off of Greg. Greg was just starting to describe the tattoo on Sara's left ankle when Nick's phone rang.

"Hey Grissom, thanks for calling," said Nick. "They are all here telling stories, the latest one about Sara's tattoo. Yes, my parents are still in town. Brass dropped by and told me how messed up you were. I am not sure I was paying that much attention that night, but I sure appreciate everything you did for me. Okay, we can talk later. Bye."

The party began to die down when the nurse came in with Nick's latest dose of medications. When Nick started to get sleepy and Warrick had retreated to the corner chair, Sara took the lead and ushered Warrick and Greg out the door. She had had to see for herself that Nick was recovering and she knew they could visit again tomorrow.

In the parking lot, Sara and Greg made plans to go to a movie before shift tomorrow. Sara took Warrick by the arm and led him to her car. They didn't talk on the short ride back to the lab, but he reached out and squeezed her hand once they arrived at the lab parking lot.

"Thanks Sara, I am just going to grab my wallet and then head home. Swing shift still starts earlier than I am used to," he joked. He was tired but assured Sara that he could make it home alright.

Sara headed back onto Sahara towards Grissom's townhouse. She hit the speed dial because she was running late and he would need to take his medicine before she got there. She still needed to stop at Rite Aid, the grocery store, and her favorite pizza stand.

"Grissom, did I wake you?" she asked. He sounded sleepy, but she heard some classical music playing quietly in the background.

"No, I was awake," he replied.

Sara explained that she was running late and still had several stops. Grissom told her to take her time because he was just doing some laundry and a crossword puzzle. He seemed a bit disoriented, but she chalked it up to the medication.

The prescription was easy enough to sign for and the grocery store was deserted at this time of night. Sara picked up some cottage cheese, fresh milk, eggs, coffee, micro brew beer, bagels, and a couple of pastries that looked good. The pizza stand that she favored was closer to her home, but they had a second stand nearby. She got a large pizza with half veggies and the other half with barbecued chicken and a dozen breadsticks with basil dipping sauce. No garlic. She waited the twenty minutes for the pizza thinking about Nick and the guys. Sara was having a good day. She made a mental note to call Warrick near the start of his shift tomorrow to see if he got enough rest.

When Sara arrived back at the townhouse, she brought in the pizza and beer and set it on the table. Grissom had apparently taken a shower and put on some slacks and her favorite blue polo shirt. He moved his crossword and a few other papers out of the way and got up to help her. Sara motioned for him to sit and that she had two more trips to make. She headed back to the car for the groceries and prescription and then back once more for her clothes. Sara put the groceries away, leaving two beers on the counter. She realized that beer probably did not go with Grissom's medication, but she decided to let him be the judge. Grissom had gotten up and grabbed a few forks, plates, and napkins, and both beers. Sara washed her hands at the kitchen sink and then she joined Grissom at the table.

"How is Nick?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Everyone but Warrick is doing well," replied Sara. She told the story of her confrontation with Warrick and how lost he was acting. She mentioned that she drove him back to the lab and that she and Greg were going to a movie before shift tomorrow. Sara quickly added that Brass was taking Grissom to dinner, as a gentle reminder. Sara realized that she was over talking and that Grissom had been almost mute since she got there. He had been devouring his half of the pizza, but something was not quite right with her bug man. Sara began to eat. She finished a slice of her side of the pizza and took several large swallows of beer. Sara waited for some reaction.

"I didn't know you had a tattoo."

Sara took another swallow of beer. It took her a few minutes to realize that Grissom had probably spent some of the time she was gone becoming jealous. The conversation he had overheard from Nick's hospital room, combined with his somber mood upon her arrival told the story.

"Would you like to see it?" Sara replied.

Grissom stammered, but Sara simply spun around on her chair and placed her left leg on his lap. Sara pointed at the hem of her black jeans. Grissom carefully rolled up the hem, like he was unwrapping a gift. He rubbed his thumb lightly over the image. Sara felt goose bumps travel up her leg and Grissom caressed her tattoo once more before unrolling her jeans and setting her foot and leg back on the floor. Sara tried to calmly return to eating her pizza, but she wasn't that hungry anymore. Sara looked at Grissom, studying his eyes for some sense of direction. It had been a good day overall....waking up next to Grissom, eating with him, visiting her friends, and even running some domestic errands. It all seemed very normal to Sara. Normal was not something that Sara knew much about. She reached across the table and took Grissom's hand.

"About two years ago, I told you that I knew what to do about 'this' or more specifically about 'us'," she started. "I still feel the same way and I still know what to do, but you need to meet me half way. I am scared of rejection and scared of being fired, but I have seen a taste of your world, and I want more. I am not sure if you have it to give. I am not sure what you want to share with me, but the ball is in your court now."


	7. Chapter 7: Needs and Wants

**CHAPTER 7: NEEDS AND WANTS**

Sara released Grissom's hand and slowly got up from the table. She cleared the plates and put the leftover pizza in the refrigerator before heading to use the bathroom.

Give him some time to think. Be patient.

It was only 10:30 p.m. and Sara needed to stay awake to stay on her graveyard schedule. She came back out of the guest room carrying her latest forensics journal and sat down at the dining room table.

Grissom was making a fresh pot of coffee. He had poured out the rest of his beer and was sipping on a bottle of cold water. He placed placed the water and the pastries that Sara had bought on the table. His emotions were running the show as he waited for the coffee maker to finish brewing. They had spent three months rebuilding their friendship, met twice at the local coffee house before work, and shared one stolen kiss in the dark, prior to Nick's kidnapping. Now, in less than twenty-four hours, they had ridden an emotional roller coaster that had taken them from worry, to jealousy, to compassion, and back. Is this what love really felt like? Grissom's hand was shaking as he poured two cups of coffee. He steadied himself and carried the cups to the table.

Gilbert Grissom was often credited as being callous and emotionally detached. Yet, he had a deeper understanding of people and their behavior than most everyone at the lab. He was at his best when walking in the mind of a suspect, yet his talents did not seem to encompass the softer side of understanding. His ability to put these thoughts into words were usually his downfall. Sara had seen glimpses of this after her DUI and her suspension. He had reached out to her and held her hand. He was at a loss for words, but he did not shy away from a physical closeness. She had once labeled him as "emotionally unavailable", yet his quiet presence during the case at the mental hospital proved he was anything but that. Just the fact that he got jealous proved to Sara that there was more between them than either had wanted to admit. And now, sitting across the table from each other, Grissom took the lead to push their friendship back on track and to test the waters of a deeper relationship.

"I have never really needed anything or anyone," Grissom began. "I have managed on my own for most of my adult life, as have you. I have wanted to share things, but not really needed to share things with others. I would watch our team in the break room, talking about the latest movie or video game, and I just didn't know how to join in the conversation. So I watched from a distance."

Sara drained her beer and then leaned over and stole Grissom's water. She took a long drink to cleanse her mouth, and then placed the bottle back . Sara knew that she had to share a little in order to fuel the conversation.

"Hank was a diversion. He came in to my life at a time you seemed distant and I just needed some human contact. Our dates were spent holding hands and watching movies. He never spent the entire night at my place. I started to believe that we were in a committed relationship, and it scared me that I could let myself become so vulnerable."

"You are a strong person, Sara," he said. "You cannot blame yourself for his lies."

"I cannot let myself be that vulnerable again," she responded. "I need to understand your motivations."

"When I first met you, in your city and away from the Las Vegas lab, you showed me that I could be myself and you were still interested in spending time with me," he started.

"I didn't find that same companionship when I returned home to Las Vegas. I tried dating some of the women I met at work," he continued, "but I burned most of those bridges by my inconsiderate choice of activities or by allowing my pager to pull me away."

"Recently, I realized that the one person I wanted in my life had been there all along. It was you Sara."

Their coffees had grown cold and untouched. Grissom's ankle and ribs were stiffening up. He got up from the table and limped down the hall. Sara hesitated. She wanted to follow him, but she was letting him take the lead. A few minutes later, he returned dressed in his sweatpants and t shirt, with his pill bottles in hand. He had not taken anything except his anti inflammatory pill. The pain was creeping into his body. Grissom did not want to take the drugs, but he needed them. He grabbed the frozen peas and headed for the couch. Sara was quick to help him get his ankle elevated. She retrieved his water and held it out like a truce.

"You pushed yourself a little too far on the physical side today, didn't you," she said thoughtfully.

Grissom nodded. Sara took up residence on the couch and stretched out her legs. Grissom reached for her left leg. He gently removed her boot and sock and began to rub her tattoo and her foot. As Sara relaxed, Grissom tried again.

"I have not been in a romantic relationship since college," Grissom continued, "even then, work came first and the girl I was seeing got what time I had left over. I don't know what a true relationship involves....as much as I need you, I don't really know where to start or what you expect from me".

He let his words sink in, as he gently lifted Sara's other foot and began to undress it and massage it. His medications were kicking in and he relaxed. Sara contemplated what he said. Her ideas of what a relationship would be like were a bit skewed by her own life experiences. She didn't necessarily need marriage or kids, but she wanted a home and a man to come home to. She didn't need fancy dates to shows and plays with expensive dinners, but she wanted to spend time together doing things they both could enjoy. Sara needed three things.

"I need three things from you and I want three things from you," Sara said. "I need your friendship, your love, and most of all, your trust." This jealousy thing had its charm, but Sara would need to make Grissom understand that when he was in a relationship with her, it was unnecessary.

Sara continued, "I want your time; I want your attention; I want to share your work by night and fall asleep by your side during the day. It seems funny to say we should take things slow, after all the time we have known each other, but I can wait a few more days until you fully recover."

Grissom's faint smile spoke volumes. He finished rubbing Sara's foot and got up for just a minute. He put his frozen peas away and washed his hands. Grissom re-poured fresh coffee for both of them and he headed for Sara's end of the couch. He handed her the coffee and sat down next to her. Grissom pulled Sara to him and kissed her gently.

Grissom was physically and emotionally spent. Sara asked if he was up for some tv before they got some sleep and he nodded. She handed him both remotes and he shut off the stereo and clicked on one of the tv channels. An old romantic comedy entitled "Love is a Ball" was just starting, so he just left the tv on that channel. As the credits rolled, Sara reached over and shut off the tv. She had been curled against Grissom during the movie.

Sara helped Grissom up and he headed for his bedroom. She went to the guest room and changed into a camisole and sleep shorts, brushed her teeth, and scooped up his pill bottles. It was time for the anti-inflammatory pill again. As Grissom came out of his bathroom, Sara met him with his pill. He swallowed it and then wrapped his arms around Sara's waist. Their eyes met and the kiss that followed opened the door to a new world for both of them.


	8. Chapter 8: Separation Anxiety

CHAPTER 8: Separation Anxiety

Sara woke slowly. Grissom has his arms wrapped around her and was snoring softly beside her. She raised herself slightly so she could read the time. 2 p.m. She curled up for another hour of rest before she had to get ready for work. She had always thought that if she and Grissom could spend some time together, away from work, they might have a chance. She was right. Now, they had to find a way to make things work with one or both of them at work. By three p.m., Sara knew they had to get their day started. She kissed Grissom softly on his beard until the snoring stopped and his eyes opened.

"Is it time already?" he asked. "I was in the middle of a dream about you and then it became a reality."

Sara gave him a lame smile and helped him to his feet. He padded off to take his shower and Sara headed for the kitchen to heat up the baked ziti. He was going to dinner with Brass, but that was still five hours away. By the time Grissom had dressed, the meal was ready. This was a meal they both enjoyed. The worry and jealousy were gone for the moment. Both scientists ate, and talked about their plans for the night.

"Do you think you could hide my clothes?" asked Sara. Grissom was clearly confused. "I brought several outfits with me. Could I hang them in your closet?"

Finally, he caught on that Sara was worried about Brass and his powers of deduction. "Sure," he offered. "I can even give you a drawer."

After dinner, Sara hung her outfits in the middle of Grissom's suits, next to his blue suit. She placed her lingerie and a few other items in the empty drawer and repacked the rest of her clothes in her backpack.

"I always need spare clothes at work," she said. "Please mention to Brass that I visited and brought pizza yesterday. Tell him that you already have a ride to the hospital on Saturday for your recheck, if he asks . We need a cover story in case I run in to him."

Now Grissom was awake and catching on to the new, devious Sara. She reminded him to stay on his schedule for his medicine, kissed him goodbye and headed home to her apartment. They both needed a little down time to process the changes in their lives. Grissom didn't realize that yet, so he just sat somewhat bewildered at the table, until he spotted the piece of note paper.

Pros and cons. Pros---good kisser, communication skills improving, great at his job, trying hard to be a good friend, adorable. Cons---.

What were the cons? Was the list incomplete? There had to be cons.....like an unfinished crossword puzzle, Grissom added his own comments. Cons----gets jealous easily, flirts at work, does not know how to take someone on a decent date, stubborn, ... Grissom was distracted by the ringing phone.

"You found the list, didn't you," Sara asked.

"Um, yeah...I was adding the cons to it," he replied.

"Grissom, there aren't any cons.....that was my point."

"Oh," he responded.

"Grissom, do you understand that we have spent a lot of time together over the past day and a half and I just wanted to give us both a little space? To make sure we are both on the same page? I will be back Saturday morning after work."

"Not tomorrow?" he asked.

"No. Take some time for yourself. Have a good dinner with Brass. Know that I am thinking of us every minute, but that we need this time apart, too. I have to go now. Call me if you need anything."

Sara hung up the phone and asked herself what she was doing. She loved him, but she was purposely staying away? What on earth was she thinking? To be honest, Sara was a very rational person. Had she stayed at Grissom's house a few more minutes that afternoon, she would have ended up having torrid sex in his bed. Not that sex with Grissom would be a bad thing, but the emotional high of such a session could be followed by a Grissom reality check. He may realize what had just happened and go into hiding. Sara had to be sure. She had controlled her lust for her bug man this long....she could wait a few more days. Sara jumped in the shower and washed her concerns down the drain. Just before leaving, she called Warrick. He was in the middle of a burglary case, but he told her that he had gotten some sleep and was feeling better. He still sounded a bit lost, however.

Across town, Grissom was still a bit confused. He roamed around his townhouse, retrieved his mail, checked his e-mail, and phoned Brass.

"Hey Jim," he said, "where are we going for dinner?"

"How about the Mexican place at the Rio? Would that be too much walking?"

"No, that would be great," replied Grissom. "Can we move dinner to seven?

"Sure."

Brass picked up Grissom and they had a nice dinner at the Rio. He valet parked his car, so they would not have to walk too far. They decided that they still had time to visit Nick at the hospital. Brass had spoken to Nick earlier and he was getting released on Friday.

Nick was going crazy, he was asking to be released during every check. The doctors had been a bit concerned about his dehydration and infection, but he was cleared for Friday morning. Brass and Grissom were making small talk about their next poker game and the fact that Nick's older sister was coming to stay with him for the next week.

"Does she play poker?" joked Brass.

"Naw, but she makes a mean chocolate cake," Nick replied. Just then, Nick spotted Greg and Sara. "Do you have my contraband?" Nicky shouted.

Sara held out the bag of drinks, snacks, and a western novel. She threw one of her patented mega watt smiles at Nicky and then turned to Grissom and Brass. "What have you two been up to?" she asked.

"Dinner and making trouble," replied Brass. Grissom was apparently mute as he just stared at Greg and Sara. "We were just setting up our next poker night."

They talked for a few more minutes and then Brass and Grissom said their good-byes. Greg ran down to the gift shop to get Nick a few more items. Brass pulled Sara aside and thanked her for taking pizza over to Grissom's house. Alone with Nick, Sara leaned over a gave him a big hug.

"Sara," he asked. "Have you ever seen a PEAP counselor?"

"Yes."

"They want me to see one to help keep tabs on possible post traumatic stress," Nick continued.

"It is not a bad idea," replied Sara. "It helped to be able to talk things out in a safe environment and in my case, it was required. Warrick should probably think about going too. Your whole ordeal has put a serious hurt on him."

"Thanks Sara," he said. Greg returned and he and Sara said their goodbyes and headed to work. The one place Sara could get lost for a little while.

Catherine was working a coverage shift from 6 p.m. to 2 am due to Nick and Grissom being off work. She handed out two more burglary assignments to Sara and Greg and told them that Sara would be in charge until the day shift arrived at 8. Automatic overtime while everyone shifted to help staff the team. For once, Vegas was not awash with homicides. They got to work on the burglary case at the Quick Mart in Henderson and then Greg headed off on a trick roll at the Monte Carlo. The police at each scene were especially vigilant not to let Greg or Sara out of their sight. Brass had sent a clear message to the cops after Nick's abduction. Grissom phoned four times to check on Sara.

At 8, an exhausted Sara headed back to the lab with her evidence. The two burglaries had similarities and there wasn't much evidence to log. She was back at her apartment and asleep by 10 am. Sara never slept much. The past few days at Grissom's she had gotten more sleep than at any given time. She soon found herself awake and decided to clean her apartment. She always cleaned her apartment when she couldn't sleep. She changed the sheets on the bed, just in case she and Grissom happened to end up here by chance. There was a knock at the door and Sara found a delivery man with a huge vase of flame orange roses standing there. She tipped the man and reached for the card. "I miss you." It was signed "Gil".

"Hi," she said. "The flowers are lovely!" They talked for over an hour, until Sara had to get ready for work. She wanted to catch Warrick to ask him about his case. There was an odd similarity with her burglaries and she wanted to see if they matched the one he had been working on the day before.

Between 10 and midnight, Warrick and Sara combined their evidence and realized that someone was targeting the smaller stores and markets. They were using a tool to pop open the coin collection bins on the banks of older slot machines, grabbing the dollar coins and fleeing the scene. Sara would investigate three more cases by the time her shift ended on Saturday morning. She stayed late at the lab that morning, helping Archie review the video footage, hoping for a break. They were able to put out a BOLO to all merchants, but the case was stopped for the moment. With her evidence filed and her notes in order, Sara headed home to grab a couple of hours of sleep before Grissom's recheck appointment.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Oops.**..I almost messed up my timeline. Is it so unreasonable to think that Sara may lose track of time while at work, or is that just a Grissom thing? Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing. The rating was changed to M, so I hope I didn't lose anyone. Enjoy!

**CHAPTER 9: Communicating**

Sara arrived at her apartment around 11 am. Her phone was ringing as she walked in the door.

"Where are you?" asked Grissom.

"Um....home," she replied.

"You said that we would see each other this morning. I was worried," replied Grissom.

"Our cases ran late and I forgot to call. I'm sorry. I just need a few hours of sleep," replied Sara.

"Sara, I would like to take you out for a nice dinner after my hospital recheck. Get some sleep and then call me when you wake up....no rush," he replied.

Dinner? Did he just ask me out, Sara wondered? She was too tired to think straight, so she fell into bed and tried to shut out her inner thoughts of a romantic Grissom. Flowers, now dinner. Sara woke five hours later with her arms wrapped tightly around her pillow. After a quick shower, she phoned Grissom and told him that she would be right over.

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Grissom had been ready for a while. He was wearing grey slacks, a black polo shirt, and a black sport coat. Sara arrived a little after five. She was wearing a short dark skirt and green top, with a pair of low-heeled sling-backs. Grissom's mouth dropped open when he saw her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him slowly and deliberately.

"Don't do that again," he breathed.

"What?"

"Don't be gone for so long next time," he replied. "You are so beautiful, Sara". He kissed her back, exploring her mouth with his tongue.

Sara broke the kiss and stared up into his eyes. She took his hand and led him to the car. If they didn't leave soon, they wouldn't leave at all. "First things first," she said.

The hospital was crowded and it took two hours for the recheck. The doctor cleared Grissom to return to work on Monday with some restrictions and gave him a new prescription for any pain. He would have to limit his driving for another week until his ankle was completely healed.

Grissom asked Sara to drive to an older part of town and directed her to a Chinese restaurant she had not noticed before. The place was dimly lit with tall booths and red dragon paintings on the walls. The waiter greeted Grissom by name and walked them to a secluded table near the large salt water aquarium. Sara glanced briefly at her menu and then asked Grissom to order for the both of them. When the waiter returned, Grissom ordered in Chinese. Hot tea was brought to the table and then the couple was left alone.

"What did you do on Friday?" asked Sara.

"Just stuff around the house. I felt good enough to work on schedules and paperwork for a while," he replied. "I always seemed to fill my time with my research and reading and errands, but this whole ordeal has given me a new perspective on my life".

The food was delivered, several different plates of steaming foods, before Sara could respond. Grissom and Sara shared all the dishes, except the Ginger Beef. He had been careful to order fish and vegetarian dishes. Even after years of knowing each other, they had both been a little nervous. Grissom had played with his napkin. Sara had tugged at her skirt. In the end, they both enjoyed the meal, the tea, and the company. As the food was taken away, Grissom reached under the table and took Sara's hand.

"Would you like anything else to eat?" he asked.

"No, it was incredible, but I am stuffed," she replied.

Their waiter brought out the bill, along with containers of the leftover food. Grissom was quick to lay down some cash to cover the check along with a generous tip.

"Ready?"

They walked to the car and he opened Sara's door for her before heading around to the passenger side. Once inside the car, he asked Sara if they could stop at the Rite Aid by his house. He explained that he needed to fill his prescription and buy some condoms.

Sara looked at him in surprise.

"I am trying to keep the lines of communication open," he said. "I have not been able to drive anywhere and I really didn't want to ask Brass to stop so I could buy some...that would have taken some explaining. Is it too soon?"

Sara laughed and shook her head. Grissom did have a new perspective on life. They looked around the Rite Aid while they waited for his prescription to be filled. He kept itching and scratching his chest under his sport coat. Grissom found some alcohol wipes that he could use to get the leftover adhesive off of his chest. Sara left Grissom alone to shop for the condoms, while she picked out some massage oil. Twenty minutes later, they were headed to his town house.

"Why do you keep scratching your chest?" she asked.

"My ribs itch where the doctor pulled off the adhesive bandages," he replied. "Now that they are off, I feel really gross. I bought these alcohol wipes to try and clean up".

They were in the living room. Sara helped Grissom off with his sport coat and gently pulled his polo shirt over his head. She could see the lines of adhesive and the deep purple bruising around his ribcage. His back had adhesive on it too. She opened the wipes and cleaned the area the best she could. Sara was careful to rub the bruised areas as gently as possible.

"Do your ribs hurt much?" she asked.

"No, they look worse than they feel," he replied.

You may want to jump in the shower and see if that helps," she said.

Grissom limped off to the bedroom. Sara put the Chinese food in the refrigerator and was unpacking her back pack in the guest bedroom when she heard him calling her name. The shower was still running, but she walked into the bedroom anyway.

"Sara, could you try to scrub the glue off my back?"

Grissom had opened the door to his large shower and had his back turned to Sara. She reached for the soap that he was holding and tried to focus her eyes on his back. She noticed how well-muscled his back and shoulders were. She washed the lines of glue, but not much was coming off.

"I think I have some body scrub in my stuff. Let me go check."

Sara closed the shower door and disappeared. She retrieved the pomegranate and lemon body scrub from her bag, slipped off her skirt and clothing, and put her short silk robe over her now naked body. Sara grabbed the bag with the prescription and condoms off the counter. She called out to Grissom as she came back in to his room, so as not to startle him. Once there, Sara slipped off her robe and stepped in to his shower.

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Grissom had his face to the shower head. He heard the shower door open and then felt Sara standing behind him.

"I think it might be easier for me to use the scrub in here," she said casually. "Are you OK with that?"

"Yeah," he said softly.

Sara couldn't see the look of surprise on his face, but she felt him jump slightly as she applied the body scrub. She worked the scrub carefully in to his back and was relieved that it took the adhesive away with little pressure. Once his back was clean, she massaged some scrub into his shoulders and then told him to stand still so she could get the glue off his chest. Sara followed the adhesive lines around with her hands and began to work on Grissom's chest. He wasn't too hairy and the glue came off easily. When she was done, Sara reached over his shoulders and rinsed off her hands. She directed Grissom to rinse off his chest.

"Could you please turn around, Sara?" he asked.

Now Grissom had his back to the shower head and he rinsed his back and hands quickly. Then he slowly pulled Sara's back into his body. He let the warm water flood over them while he slowly worked his hands down her sides. His left hand slid between her legs with the softest touch, while his right arm supported Sara from slipping. He thought about baseball stats in order to keep his own body under control....listing off the ERA of each of his favorite pitchers. His right hand stroked her nipple. Sara moaned softly against him as he rubbed and teased her body. Within a minute or two, Grissom turned both of them to face the water. The water flowing from the massaging shower head combined with the stroking fingers of Grissom's left hand were driving Sara close to the edge of orgasm. Grissom slowed up. He was losing his balance as his ankle began to tire.

"Honey, could we move this party to the bed?" he asked. "I don't have much balance left."

Sara nodded. Grissom reached back and shut off the water. They stepped out of the shower with Sara leading Grissom toward the bed. She fished the box of condoms out of the bag as she walked by Grissom's dresser. Sara climbed on top of the blanket, her body glistening with water droplets in the subdued light from the bathroom. Grissom reached for a condom packet, tearing it with his teeth, and quickly slipping it on his wet penis. She moved back on the bed, her wet hair hitting the soft pillows, pulling Grissom with her. He kissed her stomach and slowly worked his way towards her mouth. Sara's hands were now free to explore the rest of Grissom's body, but she could wait no longer.

"Gil, please," Sara breathed. She was careful to keep her hands on his hips, so as not to injure his bruised ribs.

The sound of his given name, spoken by the woman he loved, provided the last bit of motivation he needed. He slid carefully on top of Sara and she guided his erection into her body. Her senses were on fire and he rocked gently in and out of her. Gil had to use his arms to keep his upper body from crashing down on Sara, which left him defenseless against her touch. She timed her stroking with each thrust and pushed them both over the edge in a matter of minutes.

They were both breathing hard. Their bodies were soaking wet from the shower and the exertion. Gil stood carefully and made a quick trip to the bathroom. He came back with a towel around his waist and a second towel for Sara. She stood up and wrapped her arms around his butt, pulling him close to her. He held her close, absorbing the feeling of her skin in his hands.

"I rushed things," he said.

"Are you kidding me?" she replied. "That was wonderful and I think I had something to do with the pace, too."

Grissom walked them over to the side of the bed and flung back the wet blanket, exposing the clean sheets below. He toweled Sara off, drying her hair as much as possible. He tossed her towel back into the bathroom and pulled her toward the sheets. His towel hit the floor as he climbed in bed next to her. Gil wrapped his naked body around Sara and covered them with a sheet. The house was warm enough that they didn't need anything else. Their eyes met and the smile on Sara's face told the story. The kisses that followed were tender and soft. Neither was tired, but neither of them were willing to let go now.


	10. Chapter 10: Cake

**CHAPTER 10: Cake**

"Sara?" he asked. Gil nudged Sara. They had been wrapped around each other in bed for almost an hour after their first love-making. The skin to skin contact provided a new level of comfort and safety for Sara. "It's a little too early to sleep, do you want to get up and migrate to the couch?"

"Okay," she replied.

Sara rolled out of bed and slipped on her robe. She rummaged through her own drawer in Grissom's dresser and fished out some lingerie and a top. "I'll meet you on the couch."

Grissom came out into the living room wearing a loose pair of jeans, a flannel shirt, and socks. He checked the tv for movies they could watch and found a Bond flick starting in ten minutes. He had made a chocolate cake the day before, so he put on some coffee and cut two slices of cake.

Sara came out wearing her robe and slipper socks. "Cake, when did you have time to make a cake?"

"I have had a little extra time on my hands lately," he remarked.

Sara was not sure how much energy Gil had left, but she intended to find out before the night (morning) was over. For now, she was content to sit on the couch enjoying her coffee and cake, and curled into her lover. As the movie ended and another started, Sara began playing with the button on Gil's shirt. He was half aware of what she was doing until she sucked on his nipple through his shirt and stroked the other one with her fingers. She had never been free to just explore Gil's body and she decided to take time now to do just that. He was stretched out on the couch, cradling her body next to his, letting her fingers and mouth explore his beard, neck, shoulders, hands, and chest. He resisted the temptation to open Sara's robe. She had his shirt open and his chest exposed while she slowly plied kisses down his abdomen. When she reached his jeans, she took her time alternately unbuttoning and kissing as she went. Gil stopped her with a gentle pull back up to his chest. He let Sara roam freely above his waist, but he seemed suddenly shy. She could feel his body respond to her touch. As much as she wanted to explore Gil with her mouth, she slowed her response and looked into his eyes.

"Bed?" she asked, standing up and taking him by the hand.

He nodded.

In the safety of the bedroom, Sara backed Gil onto the bed. She worked his jeans off and opened his shirt, letting it hang at his sides. She hovered over him and allowed him to begin to undress her. They each took their time, using kisses and fingers to explore. Grissom was surprised when he realized the lingerie that Sara had worn hidden beneath her robe featured openings in various, convenient places. Neither engaged in oral sex, but their slow deliberate moves heightened this make out experience to a new level. When Gil couldn't stand it any longer, he reached for one of the condoms on his night stand. They climaxed together with Sara riding the wave of her orgasm and pinning his arms above his head. They each got up briefly to clean up and then fell into a deep sleep.

They were awakened around ten a.m. by Grissom's cell phone.

"Hey Nick, he answered. "Tonight? I think I can make it. I will call you back to confirm for sure."

Grissom relayed the message to Sara. Nick was having a BBQ at his home today around 6 p.m. and was inviting him. Grissom did not want to say yes unless it was OK with Sara. A few minutes later, Sara's cell phone rang out from the kitchen counter. She made a dash to grab it and told Nick that she would be happy to attend. Sara set her alarm for 2 p.m. and they fell back asleep.

When they woke, Grissom called Nick to say he would be attending and asked what he could bring. Nick also told him that Greg, Sara, Brass, and Warrick would be there along with his sister. Catherine and Lindsay were at a birthday party. As much as Sara wanted to attend, she told Gil that it would be hard to disguise her feelings for him considering that they had just made love all night long. He laughed, but was a bit concerned too.

They ate some leftover Chinese food, took separate showers, and were dressed and ready to go at 5:30. Grissom had pulled off all the sheets and was putting fresh sheets on his bed when Sara came out. She had to disguise few traces of beard rash with make up, so it took her longer to get ready.

"I should probably leave a little ahead of you," she said. "Are you okay to drive?"

Grissom nodded and told Sara that he was going to pick up some drinks at the store on the way over. He would arrive just a little after her. Grissom had been leaning against the kitchen counter and Sara came over and pulled him in for a deep, sensuous kiss.

"I am going to have some trouble keeping my distance tonight," he said.

"That goes double for me," she replied.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

By the time Grissom, arrived at Nick's house, Sara was opening the front door.

"The lab just caught a case at Lake Mead and they are short staffed," she reported. "I have been asked to come in and work it. I apologized to Nick. I am sorry Grissom."

"I understand," he replied. He lowered his voice and told her that he would call her later.

Grissom enjoyed the party. Nick cooked a mean Texas BBQ and his sister baked a delicious cake. Grissom thought of Sara the whole time, except when he accidentally walked in on Warrick and his girlfriend Tina, making out in Nick's living room. Then it made him want Sara even more. He said good bye to the team around nine, reassuring Greg that he would be back at the lab Monday night.

He called Sara as soon as he got in his car, but her cell phone was out of range and she did not hear it ring. He headed home and worked on the Sunday crossword, until she called him back.

_A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating. I had too many versions of this chapter and I could not figure out the best direction to take. Thanks for reading!_


	11. Chapter 11 Dating

**CHAPTER 11: DATING**

It was midnight.

"Hey Gil," said Sara.

"Hi," he replied. Keeping the anxiety out of his voice, he asked, "what happened on your case?"

"I caught a floater on the lake. I am still at my truck, but I had no cell service while I was on the lake with the Sheriff 's Patrol. I am heading back to the lab and probably have a couple of hours of evidence to log."

"So I probably can't see you before we work together tomorrow?" asked Gil.

"Could we meet for dinner around 7?" she asked.

Gil wanted to hold her. He wanted to kiss her. He could wait until 7, but he did not want to be somewhere public.

"I would like to bring dinner over to your apartment," he stated, "will that work?"

"Sure," she said. "I need to get going so I can finish up and grab some sleep. Come over anytime after five and I should be both decent and awake."

Sara hung up her phone with a grin. Grissom sounded hungry. She didn't want to wait, but the cold hours on the lake and the decomposing body took their toll on her. Sara had lemons and body scrub waiting at home along with a hot shower, but she still had to finish her work before going there. Sara headed back to the lab. She quickly processed her evidence and was home before she knew it. Once Sara had showered, she fell asleep quickly.

%%%%%%%%

The knock on her door came just after 5:30. Sara was dressed and ready, but she was still surprised at how early Gil had arrived at her door. He had two bags of take out food and a cake in his arms. Sara grabbed a bag and ushered Gil in to her home. Once the food was out of his arms, Sara wrapped her arms around Gil's neck and kissed him hard.

"I missed you," he breathed.

"Ditto."

Gil unloaded the foil containers of Mexican food onto Sara's breakfast bar and Sara set out the plates. They feasted on vegetarian fajitas, smokey beans, and fresh made tortillas. Gil had brought a carrot cake for dessert, but they were both too full. They moved to the couch and curled up to watch the news.

"Did you bring any condoms?" Sara asked with a grin.

The look on Gil's face clearly showed that he was not thinking that far in advance. It didn't even occur to him to pack any in his wallet. Two organized, accomplished criminalists and yet the dating game was proving their undoing.

"I'm sorry Sara."

"We need to put some in our cars," she said, flashing Gil with a mega watt smile. Sara curled into his body, absorbing his warmth. "Thanks for bringing dinner."

"You are welcome," he replied. "If you happened to be scheduled off for a three day weekend, would you like to go out of town for a night or two? With me."

Sara spun around on the couch and faced Grissom. "Are you asking me out on an official date?"

Grissom said, "It would actually be our second real date, if you count the night we had dinner at the Red Dragon."

"I would take a vacation day in order to have a three day weekend with you," she replied. "But I would ask you out on a date mid-week, so that the weekend would be our third date. Most men get lucky on the third date, you know." Sara flashed Grissom the most mischievous grin she had and returned to her spot on the couch.

Grissom was quiet for a minute and then he realized that Sara would not even need to take a day off. She had just worked a shift on Sunday and he could give her the day without anyone knowing it. He shared the thought with Sara, but she still wanted to take the day off. Either way, his plans were falling in to place.

"Sara," he asked, "will you go out with me next weekend?"

"I would love to," she replied. "Will you tell me what you have planned?"

"No, but you may want to pack a bag. Also, you may want to take a nice outfit." Grissom was grinning as he wrapped his arms around Sara. "We have about an hour before we need to get going. Should we have some carrot cake and coffee?"

Sara nodded and hopped off the couch to pull the dessert together. It was nice to have Gil at her apartment. All his other visits here had been during times of duress. Usually her duress. This was much better.

They drove separate cars to the office. Sara made a quick stop at the market for a fruit and cheese plate for lunch, so they would not arrive at the same time.

Grissom was still limping slightly and was on limited duty. He would be stuck in his office for most of the week. For once, Grissom would make the best use of his time by clearing the paperwork and appraisals off of his desk. If he wanted time for Sara, he was going to have to make a few changes to his work routine. He started by writing the schedule. He only needed the weekend off because they were not going to leave until Saturday afternoon. Grissom pulled the night's assignments together and decided to pair Sara with Warrick. He was not jealous of Warrick, but he did get jealous when Sara worked with Greg. Besides, they were still trying to close the case of the mini market burglaries. Catherine would not be back with the team until after Nick returned.

When the team arrived, Grissom received a warm welcome from all of them. He handed out the cases...a solo hit and run for Greg and another burglary for Sara and Warrick. Sara was also finishing her case from Lake Mead and Warrick had a court date. She and Warrick headed out, so they could get back in time for his court appearance. Greg stayed for a few minutes and updated Grissom on Nick's return. The younger man was happy to take a solo case and even happier to have Grissom back in the lab.

Sara and Warrick returned to the lab about half way through their shift. Warrick headed off to court. Sara noticed that Brass had brought Grissom some lunch, so she headed for the break room and snacked on her lunch while she caught up on her reading. She made a pot of fresh coffee and was surprised when both Brass and Grissom appeared in the break room door.

"Hey Sara," they said.

"Hi."

"How are your cases coming?"

"I am stuck on the burglaries and we are waiting for an id on my floater".

Brass took a chair while Grissom poured three coffees. He placed the sugar and cream on the break room table for Brass and Sara to use. Grissom knew how Sara took her coffee, but he was not going to give this detective any clues.

Sara walked them through both of her cases. Archie was running the video tapes from each mini markets. Brass had brought in a couple of ladies who frequented the markets, but had hit a dead end. Grissom just wanted to be in the same room as Sara. They had talked through her case at home and he didn't see any other connections. Sara finally excused herself and headed to the A/V lab to check in with Archie. When her shift was over, Sara stuck her head into Grissom's office to say goodnight....just like most nights and he smiled.

About fifteen minutes after she got home, Sara's phone lit up.

"Hi honey."

"Hi Gil."

"Today was strange," he replied. "I actually got a lot of paperwork done and the schedule is set. All I could think of was our date this weekend."

"Did you put any condoms in your car yet?" she asked.

Grissom laughed and told her that he bought a new box on the way home and left them in the car. He told Sara that their date was actually for Saturday and Sunday, but he wanted her to have Friday off in case she needed any time to get ready.

"Gil, do you think you will have some time for an early dinner on Wednesday?" said Sara.

"Sure,what did you have in mind?"

"Well, it's my turn to take you out. Casual dress. I will pick you up at 5 p.m. Picnic dinner. That is all I am going to divulge."

Sara and Grissom talked for about an hour before hanging up. The sun was high in the sky by the time the both settled in to their respective beds. Sara focused her attention on their upcoming dates. She had a few things to pick up prior to work and she had to decide on her outfits for wherever Gil was taking her on the weekend. She would have to pump him for more details on Wednesday night.


	12. Chapter 12: Picnic

**CHAPTER 12: PICNIC**

Sara wrapped her floater case on Tuesday. It had been an unfortunate accidental death which had pulled her away from Nicky's party on Sunday. Her solve rate remained the highest on the team. Grissom sent her into the field with Warrick on a double homicide. She was beginning to think that he may be jealous of pairing her with Greg, but she knew this was Greg's chance to work with the day shift team on loan until Nick returned. She did not see Grissom all night. Her case had kept them out until 10 am Wednesday.

Sara knew that Gil liked to get to sleep by early. She took a chance and called his cell phone at 11.

"Hi baby," she said.

A very sleepy Grissom whispered hello back at Sara. She apologized for waking him. He asked if she was home safe and she said yes. She reminded him about their date and let him fall back to sleep.

Sara on the other hand was energized. She pulled all the supplies needed for her hike and picnic together and laid them out on the coffee table. Thermos, boots, blanket, tablecloth, cooler, snacks, and her camera. She loaded the non perishable gear in her car before grabbing three hours of sleep.

At three p.m., she was up and in the shower again, getting ready for their date. She had found an escape about six months after she moved to Las Vegas. It was known as Red Rock Canyon. She was sure that Grissom had been there before, but she wanted to get him out of the house. It would take about 40 minutes to get from his house and the park closed at 8 p.m. They wouldn't have much time, but it would still be worth every minute.

At quarter to five, Sara was knocking on the door to Grissom's townhouse. He pulled her in and placed his arms on her waist, holding her at a distance. He looked in to her eyes and took in her beauty before pulling her into a deep kiss. Sara just never knew what to expect with this man. He was showing a side that he had kept hidden for so long, that no one even believed it could exist.

"Not that I don't love every minute in your arms," she said, "but are you ready to go?"

"Sure, honey," he replied, "do I need to bring anything?"

Gil was wearing blue jeans and a polo shirt. Sara told him that he might want a light jacket and a hat. He grabbed his favorite quirky straw hat and windbreaker and they were off.

"Are you going to share where this date is headed?" he asked.

"Patience, Dr. Grissom....just sit down and hold on."

Grissom was already belted into his seat, so he reached over and took Sara's free hand in his. He rubbed her palm and asked her about her case while they drove out of the city. Within twenty minutes, the traffic disappeared and the outline of the red mountains came into view. Grissom smiled to himself when he realized where Sara's getaway was taking them. He had been here before, for cases involving missing persons, and for casual hikes to study the native creatures, but he had never been here on a date. He knew the park closed at eight this time of year, but he was sure that Sara had everything planned. He leaned back in his seat and relaxed.

Sara had an annual pass to access the park. She headed up the one-way scenic road at a leisurely pace, watching out for the numerous wild burros that roamed freely near the roadside. She looked over at Grissom.

"A long time ago, you told me to get a diversion," she started.

"I remember," he said.

"I found this park and started exploring all it had to offer....the trails, the visitor center, the burros. It was hard to get out here during daylight hours, due to our schedule, but I made it a point to visit once a month. It helped me realize that there was more to Vegas than neon."

About two thirds of the way up the scenic road, Sara turned off into the Willow Springs Picnic Area. She found a parking spot and they each grabbed an armload of food and supplies. It was quiet and the sun was starting to set. Sara placed a tablecloth on one of the cement picnic tables and set out plates of food. Grilled chicken, pasta salad, Greek salad, fresh fruit, rolls, bottled water, brownies, and a thermos of coffee filled the table. They sat next to each other at the table, taking in the natural beauty of the canyon. They ate and talked and laughed and got lost in each other's company.

Sara loaded the gear back in the trunk of her car. When she returned to the table, she held out her hand to Grissom. He joined her on a short hike up a ridge trail where they could watch the sun set. Grissom stood behind her with his arms wrapped tightly around her body as the sun dropped out of sight. The wind was picking up and the temperature was dropping. They headed back to the car to finish the drive out of the park before the gates closed. Red Rock Canyon could be an intimidating place at night.

When she arrived at the main road, Grissom suggested that she turn left and drive to Red Rock Overlook. Sara pulled off to a secluded spot, where they could watch the stars come up over the neon glow from the distant city.

Grissom was thoroughly enjoying this time with Sara. He enjoyed being outdoors and the hike was not too much for his recovering ankle. He doubted that they would run in to anyone they knew, this far out of town on a weeknight. He pulled Sara close to him and kissed her mouth. He was careful not to leave any beard burn on her skin, but he plied her mouth and shoulders with soft kisses which she eagerly returned. He had never had dates like this. As he rubbed her breast under her shirt, Sara shuddered. She was kissing his neck and stroking his leg until the sound of an approaching car broke their concentration. They sat upright and reached for the steaming mugs of coffee that Sara had placed on the dashboard. Two cars pulled in full of tourists. They hopped out of their cars and snapped a couple of pictures and then headed back towards civilization.

Sara looked at Grissom with a grin. "We should probably take this somewhere more private," she said.

Grissom nodded. They had a few hours until they both had to be at work. As much as Sara was looking forward to their weekend, she really couldn't keep her body on hold for so long. Gil's slightest touch made her shiver with excitement. She headed the car back towards his townhouse.

He was quiet.

"Sara, I have a prior commitment."

"Could you please be more specific?" she asked.

"I have a poker game tomorrow after the shift is over, so I won't be able to call you."

Sara was visibly confused. "You are worried about this why?"

Grissom told her that he did not want to make love to her and then not call in the morning. Sara just shook her head and grinned.

"You are probably going to see me at some point during our shift tonight," she replied. "I will be fine, really."

"I think I will just keep you in the lab tonight, so that I can see you all night long," he replied.

"You may not have that luxury, but I will tolerate it if I have to..." Sara's voice trailed off.

She pulled into the townhouse driveway and Grissom asked her to wait just a moment. He stepped out of her car and was around to open her door before she knew it. They walked up to the front door molded into each other, partly due to the fierce wind and partly due to their raging teenage hormones.

Once inside, the controlled frenzy came unwound. Grissom's hand was on Sara's cheek while his other hand headed down to her jeans. Sara held both palms against Gil's chest while she kissed him hard. Her tongue explored his mouth. Gil coaxed her body to turn around giving him full access to her breasts with one hand while the other slid along the buttons of her jeans. Sara leaned into him and Gil braced himself against the wall in his foyer. Sara maneuvered her hand behind her and began to stroke Gil through his jeans. She could feel his body harden and she slowly worked to unbutton his jeans. Gil slid two fingers into Sara and she moaned into his neck. She tried to concentrate, but the passion knocked her back against Gil. He took her to the brink and then wrapped his arm around her and led her to his couch.

Gil spread a throw blanket across the couch while Sara stripped off her clothing. She had to wear most of it to work tonight, so she took a few moments to hang it on a dining room chair. Gil had gone into the bedroom. He came back out with the box of condoms in his left hand and a pillow in his right hand. His jeans had been left behind in the bedroom and Sara could see his bulging erection through his boxers. She took the lead (it was her date) by snatching one of the condoms from the box. Once she rolled the condom on, she pulled him to the couch and covered his body with her own. Sara used her hands and her body to show Gil how much she loved him. When she collapsed against his body, he wrapped the blanket over them and held her tightly. A few minutes later, Sara's cell phone went off. She reached across the coffee table to grab it.

"Sidle."

"Sara, can you come in early?" asked Catherine. "We have a case that will cross both shifts and I need your help".

"Sure, Cath, I will be there in less than an hour," Sara said. She hung up the phone and looked at Gil.

"You are an amazing man, but I have to go to work. Thanks for the date".

His grin said it all as he pulled Sara close for one last kiss before releasing her for a quick shower.


	13. Chapter 13 Goodbye Vegas

**CHAPTER 13: Goodbye Vegas**

True to his word, Grissom kept Sara tethered to the lab and PD buildings during her Wednesday night shift. In all fairness, Brass and Sara brought in a number of suspects to re-interview in the mini market burglary case. As they waited for the next suspect, Brass grinned at Sara.

"You're taking a three day weekend?" he asked.

"Not really," she replied.

"Care to elaborate Ms. Sidle?"

"I got called in to work last Sunday and I am maxed out on overtime with Nicky's case," she said. "I think Ecklie or Grissom must have just changed the schedule."

"Are you doing anything special?"

Sara shook her head to indicate "no" and just said "sleep".

The next suspect was brought in to the PD interrogation room. Edna was a petite, grey-haired lady of eighty eight years of age. She denied knowing any of the other ladies pictured. She gave a voluntary DNA sample. The more they chatted with Edna, the more nervous she got. Finally, she confessed and turned her purse over to Sara. Inside, Sara found a handmade tool which looked similar to the marks found on the slot machines. Edna and her gang of older ladies decided to supplement their social security incomes by popping the cash bins on the older slots. They only picked on the mini markets that they shopped in and so their comings and goings looked normal. No one searched their large purses when they left and no cameras were focused right on the slots. Archie broke the case by watching the patterns of the customers and finally realized that six little old ladies were familiar in each store. Brass had a team watch the stores until they identified all the regular patrons. Edna confessed and named names. Case closed.

Sara headed back over to the lab for lunch. Grissom tracked her down in the break room and she told him about Brass' line of questioning. She asked Grissom what she needed to pack and what time they needed to leave. He told her to wear a nice outfit for dinner Saturday night and that he was going to pick her up at her house around four p.m. They could come back on Sunday or Monday, whichever she preferred. Warrick came in from his case and the talk turned to poker. The game was at Nick's house as soon as the shift was over. Warrick was confident that he could take Grissom this time. Warrick and Sara headed to the layout room to work on the double homicide they had caught the day before. Grissom headed back to his office to finish his paperwork for the night.

Thursday and Friday flew by. Grissom beat Warrick in poker again and Nick was just about a week away from returning to the job. Sara finished her shift and spent her day off shopping and packing. She bought a cocktail dress and new sling-backs, plus some new lingerie. It was probably the most clothes shopping she had done in a year. She still didn't know much about magic date number three, but she knew they would probably have to leave town for some privacy. She packed some nice jeans and set out her favorite jacket as well. She was ready to leave Friday night, a full day early.

Grissom stopped by her apartment on his way to work Friday. He took her hand and walked her to the balcony to do some star gazing. Sara did not have quite the view of Red Rock Canyon that they had seen on Wednesday, but his arms felt the same when he wrapped them around her. Grissom was getting nervous about their date. Sara sensed that something was wrong and turned around to face him.

"Gil," she asked. "What's wrong?"

"I can't believe that all I have ever wanted is right here in my arms. I just don't want to mess this up Sara."

"We can't mess this up as long as we take the time to work through our concerns," she replied. "Neither one of us is great about saying how we really feel."

Gil squeezed her tight and then caressed her face. He gave her a soft kiss goodnight and headed off to his shift. His last shift on light duty. He called her every two hours, until she finally told him that she was going to try to get some extra sleep.

At four p.m. Saturday, one Gilbert Grissom arrived at the doorstep of one Sara Sidle. He was dressed in a charcoal grey suit with a white dress shirt. He held a single orange rose as he knocked on her door.

Sara opened the door and pulled in the defenseless criminologist. She kissed his beard and worked her way to his mouth.

"You look very nice," she said.

Gil broke away and stepped back, taking in Sara's short black cocktail dress, tasteful jewelry, long legs, and sexy shoes. He extended the rose towards Sara. "You are so beautiful!" he responded before returning a kiss.

He picked up her bag while Sara grabbed her purse and locked up the apartment. Gil opened the car door for Sara and then stowed her bag in the trunk. Minutes later, they were on the 15 freeway headed South out of Las Vegas.

"Are you going to tell me where we are going?"

"You trust me, don't you?" he asked.

"Well, yes, but I did check the forensic journals and web sites to see if there were any cockroach races within 200 miles of Las Vegas."

"And?" he said.

"No...I think this really is a date." Sara gave Gil a huge, sincere, tooth gapped smile and reached over to take his hand. She followed the life lines on his palm before turning his hand over and wrapping her fingers around it. She settled back in her seat without bothering to tug her dress down, exposing lots of skin to go with the incredible dress.

Gil kept his eyes on the road as he headed Southwest. Within an hour, the outline of Primm appeared in the distance. When Sara caught sight of the roller coaster, she started a mild protest. Grissom was quick to allay her fears.

"Sara, I wanted us to be able to hold hands, and enjoy dining out, without the immediate worry that one of our coworkers may see us. I am not ashamed of our relationship, but we both know that we are walking a thin line at work. I wanted to take us away from it all. Yes, they have a roller coaster, but it is not why we are here."

Grissom pulled his car into the valet lanes of the hotel; their car and their luggage headed in separate directions. They registered in the lobby and Grissom stopped by the concierge desk. Stan greeted him as Dr. G and confirmed their dinner reservations before handing him an envelope with some tickets. It turns out that Grissom was well known here in Primm. Sara was amazed at the suite that he had reserved for their date. There was a bottle of champagne chilling on the table, a huge jacuzzi spa, and an enormous bed. The view took in the surrounding mountains as opposed to a neon glare. Minutes later, the bellman brought their luggage to the room. Then they were alone.

Gil poured two glasses of champagne and held one out to Sara.

"To us," he said.

They clinked glasses and drank and then Gil filled Sara in on the details of their date.


	14. Chapter 14: The Night

**CHAPTER 14: The Night**

She was amazed. Sara had always disputed the glamor and glitter of the casinos and how they could draw people from far and wide like moths to a flame. Everyone at the lab joked that she took her ALS when she traveled out of town. And yet, here in a hotel inside a casino, she unpacked her clothes and hung them up while she mentally prepared for an unbelievable evening.

Gil hung up his clothes and put on a dark blue tie to go with his suit. Less than thirty minutes later, they walked to the elevator, arm in arm. It was a short walk to the restaurant. The maitre d' knew Grissom by name as well and showed them to a quiet table. They ordered and the talk turned to the mysterious tickets.

"Several times, I have heard you singing or humming under your breath," he started. "You have a great voice and you seemed to like rock music. The song I remembered most was _One Way or Another. _When I realized that Blondie was playing here in the big arena, I thought you might enjoy seeing the group in concert."

Gil slid the front row tickets across the table towards Sara.

She was speechless. Sara vaguely remembered a discussion with Nick about her singing. She loved rock and roll music and realized that Gil had gone all out to make this date special for her.

"The concert is at 8 p.m. so we should have plenty of time for dinner," he said. A few minutes later, their salads arrived. Shortly after, the chef brought their entrees out to the table and thanked Grissom for visiting. The chef had prepared a classic crepe dish as a vegetarian entree for Sara. Grissom was having salmon. They shared a bottle of white wine from Oregon. Grissom signed for the check while Sara was away at the restroom and asked if they could send two deserts up to the room and place them in the refrigerator. When Sara returned, Gil whisked her away to the concert venue.

Gil excused himself and headed for the restroom, while Sara looked at the concert merchandise. She had been to lots of concerts in the park in San Francisco and she and Greg had caught a couple of groups in Las Vegas, but this was special. They bought a couple of bottles of water and took their seats with the others. The opening group was more punk than rock, but the show that Deborah Harry and her band put on was first rate. The arena was packed with over 7,000 fans. Gil didn't have to worry that Sara's dress was too short, because she spent most of her time standing and clapping and singing along. When Blondie did a cover of Pink Floyd's _Eclipse_, even Gil became a fan.

After two encores, the fans started spilling out of the arena and into the various bars and gaming tables. Gil and Sara waited for the crowds to leave and then he took her hand and threaded their way towards the exit. He located an outer door and led her to the gardens that stretched between the two big hotels. The night was warm and there was much less wind than when they were up in the canyon. In the quiet of the night, they walked out to a large fountain.

"Thank you." "I really enjoyed the dinner and concert," said Sara. To prove it, she wrapped her arms around Gil's waist and looked up into his deep blue eyes. She sealed her approval with a sensuous kiss.

"I hope this was the kind of date you had in mind," he said. "You are the first person I have brought here and I hoped it would be a nice getaway. What else would you like to do tonight?"

Sara was still holding Gil and she slid her hands up his back, wrapping them around his neck.

"You worked all day," she said. "Would you mind taking me back, so we can just unwind in our suite?"

"Sure, I can help you unwind," he said. He gently kissed her mouth and then held out his arm for Sara.

They were back in the room in record time. Sara was a bit confused by the room service cart until Gil explained that he ordered some desserts in case they wanted a light snack after the show. They had a coffee maker in the suite, so he put on a pot of Jamaican Blue while Sara went to change. Gil found the stereo and tuned in a soft rock station.

Sara came back in to the room and realized that Gil was overdressed. She took off his suit jacket and hung it up. She undid his tie. He pulled Sara into his arms.

"Dance with me," he whispered. He pulled her into the oversized living room of their suite and picked up the beat without hesitation. Gil spun Sara and then pulled her back. She slid her arms around his neck and molded her body into his. His hands rested on her hips, touching the silky green fabric of her robe. When the song ended, Gil pulled back slightly.

"Coffee first?" he asked.

"Sure, I think I need to take this all in....Gil Grissom can dance?"

"My mom made sure that I had all the basic life skills...how to cook, clean, do laundry, drive, and dance," he said with a smile. Gil poured the coffee and placed the chocolate mousse and tiramisu on the coffee table near the couch.

They shared the desserts and sipped coffee while they recounted their third "date".

"Most dates end with a kiss at the door," she said. "I don't want this one to end that way."

"What did you have in mind, Sara?"

"The kind of date where I wake up in your arms," she replied, "plus the kiss."

"I think I can mange that," he replied. "I was thinking that we might want to head home early Monday morning, so we can get back on our regular sleep routine. I was also hoping that you would just come home with me so we could have one more day in bed together."

Sara curled against Grissom and finished her coffee. She wanted to ask him so many questions...how did he know everyone here, why did this take them so long, does he really want to ride the roller coaster? For now, she was content to be here with the one person she truly loved with all her heart. She pushed the thoughts from her mind and tugged him towards the king sized bed.


	15. Chapter 15 Roller Coaster

**CHAPTER 15: Roller Coaster**

Sara woke up in Grissom's arms. Their lovemaking last night had been tender and slow. Grissom had explored every inch of Sara's body with his hands, bringing her to a slow, intense burn. She extracted herself from his grasp and headed to the bathroom to freshen up. It was almost dawn.

Grissom stirred and realized he was in bed alone. He pulled his robe on over his naked body and padded to the bathroom to clean up and brush his teeth. When he came out into the suite, he smelled the fresh coffee brewing and realized that Sara was at the balcony. Their view faced East. He came to her side as the dawn was breaking and snaked his arm around her.

"Morning sleepy head," she teased.

"Good morning, honey. Everything OK?"

"Absolutely," she replied. "Watching the sun rise is one of my favorite parts of my day, whether I am at work or at play".

As the dawn turned to day, Sara turned to face Gil. "Do you trust me?" she asked.

"Yes."

Sara took his hand and led Gil back to the bed. She pulled him onto the sheets and silenced him with kisses. He laid back as Sara plied his torso with soft kisses intermingled with intense nipping. She slowly worked her way down Gil's body, opening his robe as she went. He tried to pull her back up to his face and she complied, but just for a moment.

"Let me love you," she pleaded. "Please trust me."

Gil kept a hold of one of her hands and Sara slowly resumed her quest to take in every part of his body with her hand and with her mouth. She went slowly so that Gil would relax and enjoy the sensation. She revisited his nipples and chest. He slowly released his grasp on Sara's hand and grabbed the sheet as she touched her tongue to his thigh. With both hands free, Sara restarted her exploration using her hands to knead Gil's shoulder muscles. She was careful of his ribs because the bruising was still evident. She worked on his hips with both hands as she pushed him higher onto the bed. She had plenty of room on the large bed, so she turned half way around, and lay her upper body across his firm abdomen. Sara hesitated briefly. She looked up at him and told him, "I love you". It was his undoing. She slowly put him into her mouth. The pressure of her body kept Gil still for the moment. He had never felt the sensation of anyone stroking him with their mouth. Sara teased him with her hand, while her mouth licked and sucked. She put all her focus into pleasuring Gil. As she intensified her actions, he bucked beneath her. She swiveled her body back between his legs allowing him to move more freely. Sara rode him with her mouth and hands until he reached his release. She swallowed and softened her kisses as he began to relax. She felt his hands pulling her body up until she was nestled in his arms. Sara briefly wiped her face on the sheets and then she felt his warm mouth on hers.

"That was incredible," he panted.

"Thank you for trusting me," she said.

They lay together until their breathing evened out. Sara sat up and told Gil not to move.

"Like I could, even if I wanted to," he joked.

Sara came back to bed with two steaming cups of coffee.

"Can I ask you something?" she said.

"Anything."

"How does everyone here know you?" she asked suppressing a sly grin.

Gil launched into a story about two of his diversions. He had originally made money in college as a poker player. On occasion, he would leave Las Vegas for a day off and come here to gamble. It was far enough from Vegas to not run in to his coworkers and just a bit run down and seedy. The hotels added several annual poker tournaments to subsidize the downturns in the tourist economy and Gil won several large purses and poker bracelets.

"So that is how you funded so many of your office curiosities," she added.

"And how I got some of the speciality equipment, too."

They also have one of the tallest roller coasters," he said. "Would you like to give either one a try?"

"Poker or a roller coasters?"

Sara was apprehensive. She had been down to Santa Cruz to ride the old wooden coaster on the boardwalk, but it was on a dare. She didn't really enjoy it. And poker, she didn't stand a chance against a pro like Gil.

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

"Yes," she responded. "Maybe we could start with the coaster."

They showered and went to breakfast. The giant coaster didn't open until noon, so they walked through the gardens and then decided to do some shopping at the giant outlet mall. Neither of them were shoppers, but the two of them together managed to find a couple of new outfits for Gil. He, in turn, found a hammered metal necklace for Sara and managed to purchase it when she was out buying a smoothie. They dropped everything off at the bell captains desk and headed for the coaster.

Grissom usually rode in the front car, but he told Sara they should start in the back car first. He held her hand as the coaster climbed into the sky. He never let her go during the entire ride. Sara had a grin plastered on her face. They rode it two more times; front car; arms in the air. Neither wanted to ride the other thrill rides. The headed back to their room and were surprised to find that it already had been cleaned.

"We usually sleep during the day," she said. "What would you say to putting out the do not disturb sign, taking a bath in the jacuzzi, and then catching a nap? Or would you rather go downstairs and play poker?"

Gil answered Sara by sweeping her into his arms and kissing her.

"The door, Gil," she said, "please, put the sign on the door."

By the time he came back, Sara was already filling the giant tub. He undressed her slowly and helped her in to the swirling water. Minutes later, they were relaxing in the bubbles. When they finally got out of the tub, they polished off the last of the champagne and curled up in bed. Sara reached across Gil in order to make sure he put the condoms in reach. She had gone to her doctor for a refill of her birth control pills on the Friday before they left, but she didn't want to take any chances, this early in their relationship.

They slept until 9 p.m. and then took a quick shower and headed out the door to dinner. The monorail took them over the highway and dropped them off at the third resort in the town. After a light supper of salads and appetizers, they wandered through the casino. There was a movie theater that was showing a set of classic cartoons. It seemed bit wacky to be in a casino watching cartoons at night, so Sara and Gil kept walking.

They found a lounge with a live band that was playing classic rock. Gil led Sara over to a table and they ordered drinks. The band was good. Several couples got up to dance when a slow song began to play. Gil leaned across the small round table and asked Sara if she wanted to dance. Her look of surprise was met by his smile. He took her hand and led her out to the wooden dance floor. Gil held her close with one hand at her waist and the other holding Sara's hand. They moved slowly to the beat and just enjoyed the feeling of being close in public.

When the song ended, Gil walked Sara back to the table. The set was over and the lounge filled with the sound of couples talking.

"Wow, I thought you saved your dance moves for when we were alone," said Sara.

"I do, most of the time," Gil replied.

"So I could see....what changed your mind?"

"You," he answered. "The band is good and others were dancing, and I thought it would be a waste if I couldn't hold you in my arms."

When the band came back on stage, Sara and Gil danced a few more times and just enjoyed the rest of their evening. They took the monorail back to their hotel and packed up their clothes. By 5:30 a.m., they were waiting for the valet to bring the car to the hotel entrance. They were back in Las Vegas as the sun was coming up.

A/N Sorry for the long delay; life interrupted CSI. I will be back up to speed now. Thanks for reading!


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